Sunday, December 27, 2015

Wells Fargo installed an automatic teller machine (ATM) back in 1998 at McMurdo Station, the U.S. Antarctic research center. McMurdo is a small community (pop.250 - 1000). Because some places only accept cash and others have a credit card minimum people often rely on the ATM. What happens if it has a malfunction?

Wells Fargo trains McMurdo staff to make simple repairs and there is a second ATM that can be cannibalized for parts. Machines are serviced every 2 years and the vendors chosen for that job undergo a psychological exam and a physical to make sure they’re equipped to deal with the Antarctic climate in case they get held over.